What's included in a built-in commission
Built-ins are different from furniture in three ways: they're measured on site (every house on the North Shore is a degree or two out of square somewhere), they're anchored to the wall, and they typically get installed in your home rather than delivered as a finished piece.
- Site measure with a laser and a paper sketch — 30 to 90 minutes on site, no charge until you sign
- Carcass: 18 mm Baltic-birch plywood — stable, knot-free, takes a finish properly. No melamine.
- Face frames, doors, drawer fronts: solid Douglas-fir, big-leaf maple or walnut to match your existing trim
- Drawers: hand-cut dovetails, soft-close Blum or Salice slides standard
- Pre-finished in the shop under controlled humidity, then installed
- Installation: typically two days on site for a single-wall built-in; up to a week for a multi-room job
- Five-year structural warranty on joinery, slides, hinges and finish lift
Pantries & kitchen built-ins
The most-requested built-in on the North Shore. Lower Lonsdale and Lynn Valley houses tend to have a 1,200–1,800 mm pantry alcove next to the kitchen that has been holding a poorly-fitted Ikea Pax for the last five years. The replacement runs about three to four weeks in the shop, two days on site.
- Single-wall pantry, floor to ceiling — from $4,200 CAD
- L-shaped pantry around a corner — from $6,800 CAD
- Coffee-bar built-in (countertop, upper cabinets, water-glass cubbies) — from $5,400 CAD
- Kitchen-island add-on (one side only, integrating with existing cabinetry) — from $3,800 CAD
Full kitchen cabinet replacements we'll quote, but they're a longer conversation — usually $32,000+ and ten to fourteen weeks on site. We're not the right shop if you want a flat-pack-priced kitchen.
Mudroom benches & entry built-ins
North Shore mudrooms tend to need: bench seat with shoe storage underneath, hooks at three heights for adults, kids and dog leashes, a drying rail above for damp jackets, and a cubby section for hats. We build all of them as a single integrated piece.
- Mudroom bench with hooks, single wall (up to 2,400 mm) — from $4,800 CAD
- Mudroom built-in with bench, hooks, upper cubbies and a drying rail — from $6,400 CAD
- Entry-hall built-in with closet door, bench and shelf above — from $5,800 CAD
Bookcases & reading nooks
Floor-to-ceiling bookcases for living rooms and studies. The variable is whether the wall is flat (rare in a 1956 split-level), where the studs are, and whether you want adjustable shelving (more flexible) or fixed-shelf (cleaner look).
- Single-wall bookcase, floor to ceiling, fixed shelves — from $4,400 CAD
- Adjustable-shelf bookcase, same footprint — from $4,900 CAD
- Library wall with sliding ladder (for ceilings > 3 m) — from $9,200 CAD
- Reading-nook built-in (bench seat, side bookshelves, cubby) — from $5,200 CAD
Closet systems
The dormer-corner closet that nobody's used properly since the house was built. We build them out as a fitted system — hanging space, drawers, shoe shelves, the tie/belt rail nobody else thinks of.
- Walk-in closet fit-out, single side — from $4,600 CAD
- Walk-in closet, two-sided, with island — from $9,800 CAD
- Reach-in closet retrofit (existing 1,200 mm closet, full custom interior) — from $2,400 CAD
What it costs
Built-ins are quoted on a single-page estimate, line-itemed. Three payments — 35% on signing, 35% on shop completion (pre-install), 30% on install completion.
- Typical range: $4,200 – $12,000 CAD for single-room built-ins; multi-room and full-kitchen runs higher
- Lead time: 6 to 10 weeks from deposit, depending on shop schedule
- GST 5% + PST 7% on labour and materials where applicable
- Touch-up wall paint after install: we sub to a Lynn Valley finisher; receipt price + 0%
Related services
- Custom Furniture — when the piece is freestanding rather than anchored
- Restoration & Refinishing — for matching new built-ins to existing trim
- Small Installs & Repairs — for individual shelf or door work